I’m moving to Belper in the next few weeks. Rode shining cliff many moons ago.

Are there any trails local?

Thanks in advance

When I used to live in Belper I rode around Ambergate. There are some really nice hills more locally but I seem to remember are mainly on footpaths rather than bridleways.

Some great riding around the Chevin and black rocks.Some good bridleways near Makeney aswell.
I’m in Ripley,some great riding straight from my doorstep!

I live not far from Ambergate and Shining Cliff – I know this area, but not between Belper and Duffield, where they may be some routes over the Chevin.

I’ve ridden lots of the bridleways near me, and there’s some nice sections, but need some road work to join them up.

Shining cliff has one byway, and quite a few footpaths that are fairly regularly ridden – up past the youth hostel. There’s also some other paths around Alderwasley beside the Shining Cliff woods that aren’t shown as rights of way.

Nice little section from the road near Black Rocks above Wirksworth down to Cromford (with a few yards of road to join them up)

There’s also the bridleway from Hearthstone, over Matlock, and some footpaths through Bow wood that’s also regularly used.

Scenic highlights would include the High Peak, Tissington Monsal and Manifold trails – all of which are family friendly, flat and surfaced, and could give access to new areas, and the ride around Carsington is surprisingly ‘up and down’y when you expect it to be flat too.

I’ve taken to doing a lot more road cycling through the white peak on the quiet lanes

All in all, great place for biking and a nice place to live – welcome.

Hey scotchegg, I have moved to Ashbourne not too long ago, some good riding round belper up Kilburn way from what I remember, happy to meet up for some white peak riding if you fancy a morning out or have a small gps file stock I can send you, email in profile.

Chris

I ride belper chevin etc most Thursday nights give me a shout and I will show you round.

Starting from car park at the cromford canal at whatstandwell, road /off road climb to Black rocks couple of cheeky routes down from the top lead into an ace little track above the high peak trail back down to the canal, either turn left and up on road (v steep) to riber castle and another ace descent down through Bow Woods, or right back to start then road climb up to Crich and again various routes down, then back along canal to Ambergate cross the road and do a loop round Shining cliff (some little DH and jump trails in the woods beyond the youth hostel), return back along the canal
All in anything from 8-25 miles mostly off road and large parts cheeky
Further south you have The Chevin that can be linked with bridle ways around Makeney to Little Eaton and Holbrook and of you want across to Drum Hill where there is again some cheeky DH tracks and possibly some woodwork (depending who’s been building and if landowner has caught them)
Plenty in the immediate area, all good quality riding, Love it up there is ideal during summer evenings but K wouldn’t do a lot of the cheeky stuff on weekend afternoons, too many walkers around

Thanks folks. Looking forward to it. Plenty to get me back on it. Been off the bike for a while.

Chris I currently live ashbourne. Only played in Bradley woods. A trip to Cannock for anything more.